Ratchet mechanism for tools.



PATENTED JUNE 5, 1906.

J. P. BARTHOLOMEW.

RATGHET MECHANISM FOR TOOLS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.24.1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH PECK BARTHOLOMEWV, OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO STANLEYRULE & LEVEL COMPANY, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OFCONNECTICUT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 5, 1906.

Application filed February 24,1905. Serial No. 247,206.

To all whom, it 772/017] concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrn Pnox BAR- TI-IOLOMEW, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Bristol, Hartford county, Connectiout, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Ratchet Mechanism for Tools, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in ratchet mechanisms for toolsforexample, bit-braces.

It comprises a driving part and adriven part so connected thereto thatit will be in terlocked therewith when the former is turned in eitherdirection or whereby it will be interlocked with the driving part onlywhen the latter is turned in one direction.

It is the object of the inventionto provide simple, strong, andeffective mechanism for interlocking said parts, the said mechanismbeing controllable by a readilyaccessible means.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of myinvention as applied to a bit-brace, a portion of the latter beingshown. Fig. 2 is a similar view, one of the parts being shown in sectionto reveal the internal construction. Fig. 3 is a view partly inelevation and partly in section, 'said section being taken-on a verticalplane at right angles to the sectional plane represented in Fig. 2. Fig.4 is a section on the plane of the line X X, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a sectionon the plane of the line Y Y, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a plan view of thedriven part detached. Fig. 7 is development of the controlling deviceand the cam carried thereby. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the detailof construction.

In the preferred form, which is shown in the drawings, 1 is the drivenpart, provided with suitable tool-holding apparatus, such as an ordinarychuck 1 2 is the driving part.

3 is a shaft or spindle of less diameter than the diameter of the drivenpart and constituting a part thereof.

The driving part 2 constitutes a housing or holder for the ratchetmechanism, the same being arranged to rigidly engage or intermittentlyengage the driven part, as desired and in the manner hereinafterdescribed.

1 is a crown-ratchet carried by the driven part 1. The teeth of saidcrown-ratchet are determined distance in either direction.

engaged by the ratchet mechanism. The ratchet mechanism shown comprisestwo pawls 4 4, having, respectively, oppositelyfaced teeth, beveled onone side. These pawls are carried or held in suitable guideways in theside walls of an annular hub por tion 2 of the driving part 2. The pawlmechanism is operated by suitable spring mechanismfor example, springs 55 which normally press said pawls 4 4 toward and into engagement withthe crown-ratchet 1 When both pawls are in engagement therewith, thedriving and the driven part will be interlocked; but when either of saidpawls is held out of engagement therewith the driving part is free to beturned in one direction independently of said driven part, whereby anintermittent driving action may be afforded.

6 is the controller, carrying a cam 6. (See the development view Fig.7.) 6 is a stop projection on said cam, which is preferably provided forthe purpose of preventing the cam from being turned beyond a certainirkee cam constitutes a support for the lateral proj ections 4 4,carried by the ratchet devices 4 4 respectively. These projectionsextend outside of the hub portion 2 of the driving member, so as tostand over said cam. When the cam 6 stands in one position, it willpermit the ratchet mechanism to interlock the driving and the drivenpart, so that they can not be turned independently; but when turned. toa second position one of saidratohets 4 or 4 will be lifted out ofengagement, so that the other ratchet only will operate to engage theparts. the parts will be intermittently clutched. This position of theratchet mechanism is illustrated, for example, in Fig. 3. If thecontrolling device is turned to a third position, the cam will permitthe ratchet 4 to descend and will elevate the ratchet 4, whereby theparts will be intermittently locked when the driving part is rotated inan opposite direction.

To hold the parts together, I provide suitable means, such as a screw3*, taking into the bearing-spindle 3 of the driven part andoverstanding a portion of the driving part. (See Fig. 3.) By causing thespindle to pass through the annular hub of the driving part,

Under such conditions are resisted most effectively. This feature is oneof substantial advantage in tools of this character. In the particularform shown in the drawings the ratchet devices 4 4 are solid blocks of athickness corresponding to the thickness of the side wall of the hub 2,through which the spindle 3 passes. In this arrangement the spindle,itself acts to steady each ratchet 4 4 at the inner side of each, whilethe outer sideis supported by the pins 4* 4 resting upon the cam 6 Theupper end of the crown-ratchet teeth are flattened and smooth, while thelower end of the hub 2 is also smooth. The thrust of the driving partagainst the driven part is therefore taken directly by these end surfaces.

By having the controlling-sleeve arranged externally of the driving anddriven parts there is no danger of disturbing the adjustment of the saidsleeve during the use of the tool.

It should be understood that in this specification I have merelydescribed the preferred form of my invention.

What I claim is- 1. In a ratchet mechanism for tools, a driving part, adriven part, a central spindle carried by the driven part and rotativelyconnected to the driving part, pawls carried by the driving part androtatable relatively to the driven part, said spindle supporting saidpawls at their inner sides, oppositelyfaced teeth on the ends of saidpawls arranged to alternately or simultaneously engage the driven part,means for holding said pawls in yielding engagement therewith, and meanssurrounding the driving part and arranged to move said pawls and to freeeither of the same from the driven part, whereby power may be applied torotate said driven part in one direction or the other or to interlockthe driving and the driven parts against independent rotation.

2. In a ratchet mechanism for tools, a driving part, a driven part, anannular hub on the driving part, the end of said hub being slottedthrough transversely, a spindle on the driven part passing through saidhub, a ratchet on said driven part, ratchet mechanismincluding twopawls, mounted in said slotted portion and bearing against said spindle,oppositely-faced teeth respectively carried by said pawls and arrangedto engage with said ratchet, a controller comprising an eX- ternalsleeve, a cam carried thereby, means of engagement between the outersides ofsaid pawls and said cam whereby either pawl may be held out ofoperative position or be per mitted to assume said operative position.

3. In aratchet mechanism for tools, a driving part, a driven part, anannular hub on the driving part, the end of said hub being slottedthrough transversely, a spindle on the 7 driven part passing throughsaid hub, a ratchet on said driven part, ratchet mechanism including twopawls, mounted in the slotted end of the hub, and bearing against saidspindle, oppositely-faced teeth respectively carried by said pawls andarranged to engage with said ratchet, a controller comprising anexternal sleeve, a cam carried thereby, means of engagement between theouter sides of said pawls and said cam whereby either pawl may be heldout of operative position or be permitted to assume said operativeposition, the end of said hub bearing upon the end ofsaid crown-ratchet.

4. In aratchet mechanism for tools, a driving part, a driven part, anannular hub on the driving part, the end of said hub being slottedthrough transversely, a spindle on the driven part passing through saidhub, a ratchet on said driven part, ratchet mechanism including two awlsbearing against said spindle,

part, a spindle rotatably mounted in said hub, a crown-ratchet rigidlycarried by and surrounding the spindle at its base and facing the end ofthe hub, a longitudinal recess in the end of said hub, extending throughthe wall thereof from the outer to the inner surface, a spring-pressedpawl longitudinally movable in said recess, said pawl being su portedalong its inner edge by the relative y movable spindle and along itsside edges by the walls of said recess, and a pawl-controlling device orsleeve surrounding said hub and overstanding the space occupied by thepawl so as to house the atter therein.

6. In a ratchet mechanism for tools, a driving part, a driven part, ahub on the driving part, a spindle on the driven part passing throughsaid hub and being rotatively connected thereto,recesses in the end ofsaid hub intersecting the outer and the inner wall thereof,longitudinally-movable spring-pressed pawls in the said recesses, one ofsaid pawls having a tooth facing in one direction, another of said pawlshaving a tooth facing in an op posite direction, said pawls beingsupported along their inner edges by said relatively movable spindle, apawl-operating device or sleeve housing the recessed end of said hub andmaking connection with the outer edges of said pawls, and acrown-ratchet rigid with IIO the driven part surrounding the spindle andin the path of movement of said pawls.

7. In aratchet mechanism for tools, a driving part, a driven part, a hubon the driving 5 part, a spindle on the driven part passing through saidhub and being rotatably connected thereto, aratchet rigid with thedriven part facing the end of the hub, a pawlreceiving space in the endof the hub, said space to intersecting the spindle-passage, a pawl insaid space supported at its inner side by the relatively rotatablespindle, means for yieldingly pressing said awl toward said ratchet,

and a controlling evice engaging said pawl and arranged to hold the sameout of engage- I 5 ment with said ratchet when desired.

JOSEPH PECK BARTHOLOMEW. Witnesses:

W. J. WORAM, H. S. WALTER.

